Simple devotions can be an easy, but great way to connect with God each day. Short simple devotions, just like this one, are written by everyday Christian writers, and help show us reasons why the Bible is relevant in day to day life.

How Long Must I Wait?

 “I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait.” -C.S. Lewis

If you’re in a tough season of waiting, let Daniel remind you of how the Lord works during these times, too.

Isaiah 40:31

“Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength…” 

Written by Daniel Hamlin

From across the bay, I could see perfect waves break in unison along a rocky point in Ireland. My heart began to beat faster, an overwhelming sense of anticipation swept over me. It might seem silly, but I was on the verge of experiencing the fulfillment of a lifelong goal. For two decades, I’d dreamt of surfing the Irish waves stretched out before me. After waiting most of my life to experience this moment, the combination of my hope and excitement was tangible. It was well worth the wait. 

In Isaiah 40:31, we’re told those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength. The Hebrew word for wait in this verse is qavah, and it has a compound meaning. It means to hope expectantly for and to bind together or intertwine. 

We’re being told that waiting on God is to intertwine or bind ourselves together with Him; and in doing so it creates in us a hopeful expectation of God. 

Why It Matters

The act of waiting can be extremely difficult, especially in our culture of instant gratification. But often we see that when God has us wait, He does so with a purpose. It’s not simply to make us wait, and it’s not without reason. It’s to make us intertwine ourselves with Him and His purposes. When we do that, we inevitably experience this hopeful expectation Isaiah speaks of. To intertwine ourselves with God, to bind ourselves to His presence, is to bind ourselves to the very source of hope. 

What is it that the Lord has asked you to wait for? Don’t give up, don’t get discouraged. Godly waiting is a good thing that produces eternal fruit. If we allow it, it will knit our hearts together with God. If we qavah like it says in Isaiah, we find our strength renewed because we will be bound to the only true source of hope in this world.  

We believe that simple devotions like this verse reflection help us connect with God, so we’ve curated a whole stash of short Christian devotions. Check them out here!